Skate-fastening



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. GIBBS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TOHIMSELF, AND JOHN PEARSON, OF ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

SKATE-FASTENING.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 31,280, dated January 27, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

foot. Another similar band G, attached to Be it known that I, J. B. Grrs, of Bosthe levers near their front ends reaches ton, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Skate-Fastening, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in Which- Figure l, is a view of a skate with my improved fastening-as applied to the foot of the skater; Fig. 2, a plan of the skate, detached.

My present invention consists of an improved skate fastening, by which the skate can be secured to the foot of the skater in a simple, easy and expeditious manner.

That others skilled in the art may understand and use my invention I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried out the same.

In the said drawings A, is the wood or body of the skate, B, the runner; these may be 0f any of the usual forms or materials. Near the front end of the skate there is attached to its top side a plate C, from each end of which rises a short standard a pivoted to the plate so that it is free t0 turn horizontally. These standards are placed at a proper distance apart to receive the front part of the sole of the boot between then. To each standard a is pivoted at b a lever D, bent to conform in a measure to the outline of the side of the skate, and which extends back to the heel of the skate where it terminates in a thumb piece c. The pivots b allow these levers to be vibrated vertically to the plane of the plate C. Another plate E is attached to the skate near its rear end, and has a standard (Z, rising from each end of it; this plate being of a proper length for the heel of the boot to fit between the standards cl. These standards are notched on their outer side as shown in Fig. l, forming a ratchet g with which a lip or projection e on the lever D engages, when the lever is brought into the position shown in Fig. 1. A broad band F of leather or other suitable material is attached at each of its ends to one of the levers D, in such a position, and of a suitable length to embrace the instep of the across the front part of the foot.

A sharpened spike 7C, in the heel of the skate enters the heel of the boot` and prevents the foot from slipping back.

. The following is the manner of applying and securing the above described skate. The levers D, being freed from the racks g, (as shown in Fig. 2) the foot is placed in position on the skate slipping beneath the bands F and G; the vlevers are then brought in close to the foot to bring the projections e in contact with the racks g, when by pressing down on the thumb pieces c at the rear ends of the levers until the bands F and Gr are. drawn tightly across the foot, the skate is secured thereto. A slight spring in the levers D renders this mode of fastening particularly easy and comfortable to the skater, while it prevents the levers from being thrown out from the racks g the teeth of which are slightly undercut as shown at z' Fig. 1.

Various changes may be made in the mechanical arrangement of this skate fastening, without departing from the spirit of my inventionwfor example, one of the levers D may be permanently attached to its standard Z or to the side of the skate, the

motion of the other lever' being suiicient to admit the foot and to tighten up the bandsor the levers D may be continued entirely around the heel and a single standard and rack at the center of the heel, may answer for both levers to be fastened to-or instead of the ratchet g, a series of holes in the standard d, may receive a hook attached to the lever D.

`What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- A skate fastening consisting of the lever D, pivoted at one end to the skate and caught at its other end by a ratchet or equivalent fastening; the drawing down and catching of the lever binding and securing the skate to the foot substantially as described.

JOI-IN B. GIBBS. k

Witnesses:

THos. R. Rosen, Trios. D. GLovER. 

